CarbonLeap uses external pooling carbon surpluses to support ‘compliance deficit shipowners’ to meet FuelEU Maritime rules (Copy) (Copy)

CarbonLeap, a leading independent organization for managing monetised carbon reductions in global transportation, has brokered first agreements to provide external FuelEU Maritime pooled surpluses to ‘compliance deficit shipowners’.
 
In one example, fleet owners opted to purchase surpluses from the external pool developed by CarbonLeap to meet with FuelEU Maritime compliance at the lowest possible cost and manage price fluctuation and FuelEU non-compliance risk. The agreement also offers volume flexibility to the deficit shipowners, providing additional peace of mind that they will not face penalties in light of uncertain ex-post volume calculations.
 
The Fuel EU Maritime Regulation is a complementary regulation to the EU ETS, ensuring that the greenhouse gas intensity of fuels used by the shipping sector will gradually decrease over time. External pooling merges third-party vessels with over-compliance and those in compliance deficit, enabling unrelated ship owners to meet emission regulations cost-effectively. CarbonLeap’s external pooling support solution means owners and operators can achieve compliance, circumventing potential difficulties with procuring low carbon fuels.
 
The deals announced by CarbonLeap provide pooling price, volume and compliance certainty to the deficit vessel owners, meaning they can continue operating their fleets on a business-as-usual basis across all served routes, even those where alternative fuels are limited or too expensive. With no concerns about swings in the price of alternative fuels and other abatement costs, the vessel owners can confidently pass compliance costs on to customers at a sustainable fixed price and volume. 
 
Commenting on the deal, Guido Levie, Co-founder of CarbonLeap, said: “Vessel owners cannot afford to ignore FuelEU Maritime. With the right deal on FuelEU Maritime external pooling, deficit vessel owners can buy time to develop their strategies in preparation for the significantly larger 6% reduction in carbon intensity planned in the FuelEU Maritime regulations in 2030.”
 
For all operators, FuelEU Maritime’s external pooling mechanism buys time to organise and run trials of new and alternative fuels and means they avoid paying a penalty for each tonne of VLSFO equivalent energy their vessels use. While many larger operators have already rushed to create internal FuelEU Maritime pools to offset surpluses with deficits of their discretionary managed vessels, owners of external non-compliant vessels have been late or reluctant to sign up. This is a mistake. 
 
Vessel owners that move early will be able to secure more volume flexibility from surplus sellers, while the cost of external pooling is expected to increase as the deadline for FuelEU Maritime compliance approaches in early 2026. 
 
Levie continued: “Deficit vessel owners need to move fast to secure flexibility in their pooling agreements. Flexibility will be a vital commercial and operational advantage for vessel owners if they are uncertain about exactly how much surplus they will need. Frankly, free optionality in pooling agreements will not last forever. While the shipping industry shows its traditional hesitancy in the face of the new and different, first movers on FuelEU Maritime pooling stand to gain the most.”